Commentary from Industry Pros

The electricity industry is undergoing rapid changes in response to policy push as an outcome from climate change concerns and disruption pull from products and solutions such as distributed energy resources and demand response.

Energy efficiency must play a key role in state plans to implement an EPA rule created to cut carbon pollution, and should be fully integrated into the state's overall compliance plans, an expert panel told attendees of the Association for Energy Services Professionals annual meeting this week.

In 1987, there were approximately 175 investor-owned utilities. Little or no consolidation had occurred since the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 broke up Samuel Insull's empire and effectively granted federal protection to utility companies against mergers.

The solar industry, like any other, is continually motivated to push its technologies forward. However, our industry has unique demands that catalyze innovation, particularly with regard to inverters. It is both the type of demands and the sheer number of them that make the solar industry unique in this regard.

As the United States and countries across Europe cope with mothballed coal and gas-fired power plants, nuclear phase-out, and the integration of renewables into the energy mix, the problem of decreased available peak generation capacity will continue to escalate.

The nation of South Africa has long been the leading economic power of Sub-Saharan Africa. At the present day, the nation generates some 90% of its electric power from coal, including a recently built new generation clean coal power station rated at over 4,000MW of output. Some of South Africa's thermal power stations operate courtesy of advanced air-cooled condenser technology that originated in the research of Engineering Professor Kroger at Stellenbosch University, located near Cape Town. The quest to secure future electric power has led South African officials to engage in discussions with energy officials in both Congo and Ethiopia.

"Saving" is a popular marketing pitch that emerged with rising consumption: "save 50% when you buy 3", "save time when you buy our gadget", "save energy with our efficient furnace", etc. These promises are made to motivate consumers to buy products.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) regulates seven tariffs for retail electric delivery service. These tariffs correspond to the Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDUs) serving retail customers in those areas of Texas open to full retail electric competition.

'Mind the gap' is a phrase that will be wearily familiar to Londoners and many others throughout the UK. However, the few inches between the train and the platform aren't the most dangerous gap this winter.

E-Newsletters

Weekly interviews with industry leaders by the EnergyBiz magazine editor-in-chief, Martin Rosenberg. These interviews are conducted by telephone at conferences and in their offices. Delivered Each Monday